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Victor Maphosa

BLACK granite extractors in Mutoko have been urged to constantly rehabilitate roads around Mutoko particularly those which they use when transporting granite stone from the mines to various destinations across the country.

The call was made by ZANU PF Mutoko North constituency Rambidzai Nyabote recently during a tour of Richbasin Minerals cutting and polishing plant by the Minister for Presidential Affairs and Monitoring Implementation of Government Programmes Dr Jorum Gumbo in Mutoko.

Dr Gumbo had visited the plant to have an appreciation of the operations at the site and the organisation’s expectations and challenges.

He was accompanied by several senior provincial and Government officials including the Mashonaland East Provincial Secretary for Devolution Mr Tavabarira Kutamahufa.

Speaking after the tour, Cde Nyabote urged black granite stone miners to give back to the community and pay particular attention to the rehabilitation and upgrading of roads.

“Dr Gumbo, we have a serious concern which should be addressed. Our investors, those who mine granite stone in this area are not rehabilitating these roads. There are a lot of potholes in the roads that they use.

“We have eleven companies who mine granite stone in Mutoko and our wish is for them to upgrade these roads that they use to transport their resource. We are suggesting that they should at least surface these roads. Let them work on putting tar on these roads. We recommend that they work on doing that every year until the whole road that they use is tarred.

“We should be able to have something tangible that is left in Mutoko after these miners are gone. We will have to point on what they would have done for the community even if they are long gone. So we are requesting for them to invest in road rehabilitation. Also there are some allegations that some of them are not paying rates to council as required. We urge them to pay so that council can do their work smoothly,” he said.

Cde Nyabote said black granite mining has been in existence for the past 50 years and there is nothing to show from that in as far as miners participation in community development and other generation.

Richbasin Minerals publicity officer Mr Lei Nie promised to rehabilitate the road and give back to the community they operate in.

“Every year we will assist the Mutoko Rural District Council in the rehabilitation of this road and if the council have other requests we will fulfil them. We are doing business here and we are making money, the first thing we must do is to respect the local authorities and local people for us to be successful.”